The weeks leading up to the preview night for the human-centric portion of the menu passed in a blur of spice-dusted hands and discarded recipes. Taste testing the new dishes left the human staff sick of protein, and even the chupacabras grumbled over having to sample so many attempts a night.

Not that there was much else they could do. Customers came at a trickle even on their busier evenings, leaving the chefs pouring their energy into trying to resuscitate the dying restaurant.

Despite everything, the scent of salsa still brought a smile to Miguel's face. "Remind me to thank your mom for letting us use her recipe."

"She's always more than happy to share that one," Alejandro said with a laugh. His fingers lingered over Miguel's as they held down the blender's lid, caressing his scales. "If she let us use the Morales family recipe, then things would be really serious. The day she gives you that is the day she takes us ring shopping."

"Which won't be far off at this rate." Yolanda snorted. "You can barely keep your hands off each other for five minutes. How are you going to make it through tonight's service?"

"By daydreaming about each other the whole time, obviously!" Ralph cackled at the blush darkening Alejandro's cheeks before schooling his expression into a tightlipped smile. "But seriously, be careful how you act around the customers tonight, okay? They're not exactly used to this lovey-dovey shit."

"Guess we'd better get it out of our systems." Alejandro wrapped his arms around Miguel, his embrace as warm as his gaze. "Remember what we talked about, mi amor. Even if things get ugly..."

"We're in this together." Miguel thrummed as he held Alejandro close. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Moonbeam."

"Good." He chuckled nervously. "We'd better pray mamá thinks we did an okay job with the salsa, or else things will get ugly in a heartbeat."

They handled the chupacabras-only section first. Taking up the restaurant's interior with Luis guarding the entrance, this section would be much harder for any potential troublemakers to reach. Most of the pack leaders who had bothered to show up sat near the back, quietly discussing pack affairs amongst themselves and occasionally casting apprehensive glances at the humans dining outside.

They were Miguel's chance to get the acknowledgement he needed to finally make his pack official.

Narrowed eyes stared at Miguel as he set down their salsa. "What in the stars' name is that?" Ironwood Pack's leader bared her fangs at the thick red mixture.

"It's salsa my partner and I made." Miguel fidgeted with the hem of his apron. The fabric was the closest thing he had to Alejandro's hand, a comfort he longed for as he forced himself to hold the leader's gaze. "We're planning to start our own pack."

"Could she not come out to tell us this herself?" A murmur of agreement rumbled around the table.

"He is tending to some of the other tables." Miguel fought to keep his spines flat, swallowing a growl. He'd known they were bound to assume he couldn't lead a pack, but that didn't make their words hurt less. Still, he faced them with a smile he hoped would do his Moonbeam justice. "Salsa is one of our favorite dishes, so we would be honored if you would try it."

Ironwood Pack's leader leaned over to look at Miguel's leg, no longer in a brace but still as crooked as ever. "You're the one Martha was snarling about the other day, aren't you?" She dipped her head and took a chip between her claws, her lips curling into a grimace. "I suppose it's only fair we try what you have brought us before we decide if you are worthy to lead a pack."

A collective crunch sounded around the table as the pack leaders sampled the chips and salsa. And then another, punctuated by thrumming so loud it drowned out the jazz music playing throughout the restaurant.

"Not bad." Ironwood Pack's leader flicked her tongue between her teeth, licking a stray speck of salsa before reaching for another chip. "You will introduce us to your partner later tonight. Then we will consider your proposal."

Miguel thrummed with relief. Hopefully they'd be more receptive once they'd enjoyed the rest of their meal. "I'm sure he'd love to meet you once the dinner rush settles down. I'll be back soon to take your orders, and feel free to let me know if you'd like another round of salsa."

After tending to the rest of the chupacabras sitting inside, Miguel ventured into the patio's mixed dining area.

Only a few humans had decided to give The Crimson Goat a chance, but they seemed happy. Creosote Pack's leader was sharing a sausage platter with a table full of participants from her pack's fight club, and a handful of packless shelter employees were chatting with Agave Pack over a massive basket of wings.

Mr. Miller hadn't come.

Miguel had insisted on inviting him, but he never received a response to the letter he'd sent. Not so much as a no thank you or good luck. Whatever bond he and Andy had once shared, he wouldn't be getting it back. Not that night, maybe not ever.

But that didn't matter. His old pack had cast him out and his old friend no longer cared about him, but his new family loved him.

Mrs. Morales beckoned Miguel to their table with an enthusiastic wave. "Alejandro wasn't kidding when he said there's something for everyone. It's almost impossible to choose!"

"Can't say I was expecting the pho," Diego said as he squinted at the menu. Despite his father rolling his eyes and his mother none-too-subtly kicking him under the table, he refused to keep his opinion to himself. "Pretty weird to serve something you didn't make, don't you think?"

"It is," Miguel admitted, "but we're still ironing out the kinks with the human menu. Good Pho You was kind enough to give us a hand with some of the dishes, and I can't recommend them enough!"

"Although it can't possibly be better than the blood sausage. I hear the chefs who make that are especially talented," Isabella said with a smirk.

"We've had a lot of practice," Miguel said sheepishly. "That's a bit of an adventurous pick for most humans though, so you might want to try the wings instead."

"I think we all know who can help us decide what to get." Mrs. Morales whistled and waved at Alejandro. "¡Oye mijo, necesitamos ayuda!"

As he turned to look at her, Alejandro crashed into Ignacio, sending salsa splattering across both their chests. Ignacio roared with laughter as Alejandro muttered a dozen apologies on his way to his family's table. "Necesito concentrarme en los otros clientes, mamá," Alejandro said, his face flushed.

"I know, mijo, but we wanted to tell you both how proud we are, even though you didn't use nearly enough cilantro in the salsa."

"The salsa does look great on you though," Diego said with a laugh. "It's quite a fashion statement. Really screams 'I wasn't watching where I was going!'"

Alejandro groaned as he massaged his temples. "It's actually saying 'I love you guys, but I'm trying to work'."

"Let me get that for you." Miguel dipped a napkin into a glass of water and wiped away the worst of the salsa with gentle strokes. "That's going to leave a bit of a stain, but it shouldn't be too bad," he said.

At least, that's what he tried to say as touching Alejandro sent him trembling with the force of his thrumming. Heat rose to his face as stares burned his scales.

A lone voice broke through the ensuing silence. "Alejandro, I think your boyfriend left his motor running," Diego said with a laugh.

Boyfriend.

The word traveled throughout the patio in hushed whispers. Some said it with their lips curled over their fangs, some said it with a mixture of horror and disgust as they stared at the couple with wide eyes.

But others said it as if they were tasting a delicacy for the first time, the word strange yet delicious as it rolled off their tongues.

"Told you you're not the only ones," Andres told his sister loudly enough for Miguel to hear. Her eyes lit up as she smiled at the man seated next to her, fingers intertwining as he took her hand in his and gave it a gentle kiss.

Miguel's eyes burned with happy tears. Forget the staring. Forget the whispers. Forget everyone who had ever doubted that a chupacabra and a human could be happy together. What he and Alejandro had was as real as the stars shining above them, and as real as the bonds other humans and chupacabras shared with each other.

The deep, rumbling growl echoing across the patio was just as real.

"This foolishness has gone on long enough," Martha snarled. She towered over Luis as the lone chupacabra blocked her and the rest of Saguaro Pack from entering the restaurant. "Take me to the packless filth who organized this atrocity, or we'll tear the place down!"